SPLaunch – new CodePlex for PowerShell automation
Yesterday I published a new CodePlex project to automate PowerShell remoting. Basically I got tired of RDP-ing to 10 machines to type the same command 10 times. Why not use a local PowerShell window to read CSV with server names and execute remotely in bulk? Well, now you can.
Give it a try for an hour to download, setup, and run. You can save that much time in just a day by using this in instead of juggling RDP and typing multiple PowerShell commands. Please leave a comment or CodePlex review to let me know what you think. 
Business Challenge
- Growing list of servers
- Inconsistent configuration (DEV has, TEST lacks, PROD just crazy)
- Need to reduce admin time. Make room for business analysis, teach how to use, evangelize features
Technical Solution
- PowerShell remoting + automation wrapper = rapid fire commands
- PS1 with functions
- Noun CSV with server farms and login user
- Verb CSV with "shortcut" alias PowerShell commands
- Mix and match Noun/Verb CSV with automation wrapper (New-PSSession / Invoke-Command)
Examples
Open all servers in the "DCO" farm (Development Collaboration) and show total RAM size with percent used:
- LaunchFarm DCO
- LaunchShortcut ram | ft -a
Open just the first server across all farms and show the SharePoint build number:
- LaunchFarm ALL 1
- LaunchShortcut spver | ft -a
NOTE – MUST MANUALLY UPDATE "Noun" CSV file with target machine names, AD domain,
and user account before any commands can be run.
Screenshots
Getting Started
- Enable PowerShell remoting and WSMan CredSSP on all target servers. "Enable-PSRemoting -Force"and "Enable-WSManCredSSP -Role Server" http://dustinhatch.tumblr.com/post/24589312635/enable-powershell-remoting-with-credssp-using-group
- Enable PowerShell client with "Enable-PSRemoting -Force" and "Set-Item wsman:\localhost\client\trustedhosts * -Force"
- Update NounCSV with servers and user names
- Run "SPLaunch.ps1 -install" to add to $profile so it starts with new PowerShell windows
- Run LaunchAFarm to see farms
- Run LaunchAFarm DCO to connect to that farm (comma separated allows multiple farms)
- Run LaunchAShortcut to see shortcuts
- Run LaunchAShortcut RAM to execute the "RAM" command (end with " | ft" to format as table)
- Enjoy!
Warnings
- Account lockout – Possible if typing the password wrong and open many sessions at once.
- System update – Verb CSV can modify configuration on many servers quickly. Use carefully for changes.
Please drop me a line via email spjeff@spjeff.com or Twitter @spjeff with ideas. I’m always open to suggestions and improvements.
